Gartner's emergent Enterprise Architecture

Let me have another look at this issue. "Gartner identified a new approach for Enterprise Architecture; its called "Emergent Architecture" . There are seven properties that differentiate emergent architecture from the traditional approach to EA (from http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1124112): 1. Non-deterministic - In the past, enterprise architects applied centralised decision-making to design outcomes. Using emergent architecture, they instead must decentralise decision-making to enable innovation. 2. Autonomous actors - Enterprise architects can no longer control all aspects of architecture as they once did. They must now recognise the broader business ecosystem and devolve control to constituents. 3. Rule-bound actors - Where in the past enterprise architects provided detailed design specifications for all aspects of the EA, they must now define a minimal set of rules and enable choice. 4. Goal-oriented actors - Previously, the only goals that mattered were the corporate goals but this has now shifted to each constituent acting in their own best interests. 5. Local Influences: Actors are influenced by local interactions and limited information. Feedback within their sphere of communication alters the behaviour of individuals. No individual actor has data about all of an emergent system. EA must increasingly coordinate. 6. Dynamic or Adaptive Systems: The system (the individual actors as well as the environment) changes over time. EA must design emergent systems sense and respond to changes in their environment. 7. Resource-Constrained Environment: An environment of abundance does not enable emergence; rather, the scarcity of resources drives emergence." ----- This appears to be part of the Gartner's series of EA messages, vague enough to generate various interpretations and lots of discussion. That's probably one of the goals. Trust, not judge seems to be the adopted critical attitude. Let's have a closer look at the seven commands: 1. Non-deterministic - does Gartner say in in fact de-centralised? Another word, another meaning. In any case Enterprise decision making is not part of the EA governance; EA should be used by Enterprise stakeholders to do take their own decisions; is that what Gartner struggles to express? 2. Autonomous actors - This all sounds a bit esoteric; the constituents, are they the autonomous actors? Nevertheless, have you ever assumed that the EA architect would take all control, in particular for the business capabilities bits? The domain and solution architects take their own decisions in the EA envinronment where their parts have to fit back in the EA whole. Fine, if this is what they say. I wish they were more obvious here. The point looks similar if not identical to the first one. 3. Rule-bound actors - it looks like actors are all parties except the Enterprise Architects. What Rules though? Does Gartner mean that there should be an EA, EA framework, process, principles... that should bound all "actors"? I fear I put words in their mouth though. 4. Goal-oriented actors - the story seem to shape around actors that Gartner wishes to paint back into the picture. This though contradicts the known business strategy execution approach that recommends that strategy be cascaded to all functions; this tactics is also in opposition to one of the EA key goals: to align business and technology to strategy and may create dissent unless both local and corporate strategies are considered in the initial strategy specification. 5. Local Influences: getting back on track here; EA architect must "coordinate"; until this point Gartner recommended decentralization, autonomy...; there must be a difference between coordination and control larger than I thought. This point seems to complement the previous one though. The message seems to be that the EA must coordinate not dictate. 6. Dynamic or Adaptive Systems: always good to mention "panta rhea", the old greek adage observing that everything is in motion, changes; probably, Gartner observes that EA should not take longer that it should since actors, goals, the enterprise itself can vanish in the meantime. 7. Resource-Constrained Environment: don't we know it all! We can't ever get enough of anything. I would not comment on that since this is obviously a truism, so much like the previous point. We already operate on that premise. Overall I think Gartner discovered or assumed that a single EA function or architect does all the work and decision making and they say that this should not be the case. I don't think that the EA architects have ever had this authority though. They make a good point though: there are lots of EA architects wishing to wield influence without having devised an Enterprise Architecture establishing the solution design, investment and decison making context. The question is what should we do about this set of EA governance (because that what they seem to be) principles? It depends on your case in point. Can we call this "emergent" EA? I leave it to you. I am looking forward for the next batch of commands though. They have a tendency to appear around Gartner EA events timeframes, probably to provide a theme for discussion.